New York Consolidated Laws, Executive Law - EXC § 28-a. Post disaster recovery planning

1. Whenever a state disaster emergency has been declared any county, city, town or village included in such disaster area shall prepare a local recovery and redevelopment plan, unless the legislative body of the municipality shall determine such plan to be unnecessary or impractical. Prior to making such determination, the municipality shall notify the commission of its intent to forego preparation and provide an opportunity to comment to the commission. Within fifteen days after the declaration of a state disaster, any county, city, town or village included in such disaster area shall report to the commission whether the preparation of a recovery and redevelopment plan has been commenced, and if not, the reasons for not preparing such plan. Within sixty days after the declaration of a state disaster, the commission shall report to the governor and the legislature the status of local recovery and redevelopment plans, including the name of any municipality which has failed or refused to commence the development of a recovery and redevelopment plan.

2. The commission shall provide technical assistance in the development of such plans upon the request of such county, city, town or village.

3. A local recovery and redevelopment plan shall include, but need not be limited to: plans for replacement, reconstruction, removal or relocation of damaged or destroyed facilities; proposed new or amended regulations such as zoning, subdivision, building or sanitary ordinances and codes; and plans for economic recovery and community development. Such plans shall take into account and to the extent practicable incorporate relevant existing plans and policies and such plans shall take into account the need to minimize the potential impact of any future disasters on the community.

4. Proposed plans shall be presented at a public hearing upon five days notice published in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected and transmitted to the radio and television media for publication and broadcast. Such notice shall state the time and place of the hearing and indicate where copies of the proposed plan may be inspected or obtained. Any county, city, town, or village preparing a recovery and redevelopment plan pursuant to this subdivision may, upon mutual agreement with any other such county, city, town or village, hold a joint hearing to consider such recovery and redevelopment plan.

5. Such plans shall be prepared within forty-five days after the declaration of a state disaster and shall be transmitted to the commission. The commission shall provide its comments on the plan within ten days after receiving such plan.

6. A plan shall be adopted by such county, city, town or village within ten days after receiving the comments of the commission. The adopted plan may be amended at any time in the same manner as originally prepared, revised and adopted.

7. The adopted plan shall be the official policy for recovery and redevelopment within the municipality.

8. Nothing in this section shall preclude any municipality from applying for or accepting and receiving any federal funds.